The quartzite building stone industry of the Raft River and Grouse Creek Mountains, Box Elder County, Utah

This report complements the Utah Stone brochure by providing stone producers, land use planners, and potential stone buyers with detailed information on the quartzite building stone industry of the Raft River - Grouse Creek Mountains area of Box Elder County. It gives an overview of current stone producers, quarries, and quarry geology of the micaceous quartzite and mica-quartz schist operations. The study consisted of a field examination and sampling of distinct stone types at each known, accessible quarry in the study area. Some important aspects of stone occurrences were not addressed due to time limitations and lack of adequate exposures. Additional study is needed to determine variations in stone quality with respect to stratigraphic position and geographic location. Also, the exact role of metamorphism and tectonism in producing favorable foliation and fracturing is poorly understood. Consequently, a regional exploration model for additional sources of high quality stone cannot be constructed based solely upon the work completed to date. Additional study of the quartzite is merited. Although there is a large resource of stone remaining at existing quarries, additional sites containing easily mineable stone with thin layering and unusual color characteristics could be profitable.